1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to compositions and methods for inhibiting corrosion of metals and more particularly to a method employing oil-based corrosion inhibitor compositions.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The prior art literature is replete with descriptions of a wide variety of methods and compositions for inhibiting the corrosion of metals, particularly ferrous metals. The massive bulk of literature on this subject over many years, is itself evidence of the lack of complete satisfaction with methods and compositions heretofore available to the artisan. The lack of full satisfaction is due to a broad variety of factors, such as cost, inefficiency of method, toxicity of compositions, relative ineffectiveness, incompatibility of compositions, and difficulty in handling.
One U.S. patent which is representative of the prior art descriptions is the U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,873 to Oude Alink (Oct. 2, 1973). This patent describes the use of substituted succinimides formed by reacting a hydrocarbon with a maleic compound and then reacting the product with an amine to form an imide. The imide structure is essential and imides are of course well recognized as corrosion inhibitors.
The inhibitors employed in the present invention are not imide compounds, but are effective corrosion inhibitors, particularly useful in an oil-based carrier composition such as a petroleum oil or grease.